Sentient Ruin’s conquest for most dominate extreme music label continues with the release of Dearth’s debut full-length album, “To Crown All Befoulment.” Dearth proves to be a formidable blackened death metal force that does not wish to underwhelm listeners with the same generic approach, but instead invokes an inhuman nature full of extreme mind altering brutality.
The Oakland based band delivers one colossal bludgeoning with enough power to awaken sinister forces from beyond that dwell in starless realms. Overall, the production creates such an agonizing atmosphere that you feel as if the riffs consume you and leave you sinking into a pitch black abyss. I felt as though the musicianship never sounded sloppy and the band was very thoughtful in terms of how they developed their songs. There is a real strong cohesive sound that I think played an important factor in allowing the band to lay down some truly unforgiving compositions.
The opening song, “Writhing in Cellophane Cages,” is a ferocious assault of unapologetic musical attitude and contains some very ominous sounding guitar parts. I think the band’s guitar arrangements on this album leave a vivd impression on the listener and the opening track really sets the tone for the rest of the release. Track number two, “Autoasphyxia,” is delivered in a more blistering approach by unleashing a tsunami of blast beats and feverish guitar parts. Unlike some blackened death metal acts, I never found myself feeling like the band was stuck in a cycle of gimmicky repetitiveness. Their overall approach is refreshing and tracks like “The Reverence of Swine” and “Death Sown in Polluted Soil,” are dynamic cuts that keep you fully engaged.
Track number five, “Anthropocene Through Burial Mounds,” is another solid punishing piece of music and once again features some savage riff sections, as well as plenty of feverish drum parts. I thought the final song on this album, “Blight,” really summed up what this band set out to accomplish. The song’s erratic presentation and agonizing vocals paints a cataclysmic world for listeners to explore these endless mountains of ear shattering madness.
I can honestly say without any hesitation that Sentient Ruin sure knows how to find these extremely creative and atypical sounding metal acts. Dearth is a band I defiantly want to hear continue to explore those chaotic musical landscapes of uncompromising brutality, because their talents featured on, “To Crown All Befoulment,” are such that you know these guys will only get better with each new release. I believe this shall be the start of a destructive alliance between Sentient Ruin and Dearth which will hopefully spread darkness and terror for many years to come.
Check out the track “Death Sown in Polluted Soil” below:
Sentient Ruin Bandcamp (Album comes out June 19th):
https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com
Dearth Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/dearthblackdeath/
Cool review Robby.
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